Page 4 of The Unconventional Nanny
And let me just say the little girl has a set of lungs on her, and no amount of shushing I try to do is helping. In fact, I think it's only making it worse.
"Okay, okay. You win."Little demon spawn,I add in my head. I figure it's inappropriate to say it to the child's face.
I scramble between the seats in an attempt to get to the back, only for my foot to get stuck on the seat. My face connects with the leather bench seat next to Everly’s car seat, and for the first time since waking up, Everly stops crying.
Oh thank God.
But my grace is only for a short reprieve. Except this time it's not tears.
Is that laughter?
I peel my face off the leather and spin it enough to see Everly is, in fact, laughing at me. Sitting there in her car seat with dried tears on her face, messy hair, spaghetti around her mouth because she refused to let her father clean her up before passing out, and a huge smile on her face is a mini psychopath who thinks my pain is funny.
"I'm so glad that amuses you."
I push up until I'm in a plank position, then try to bring one knee up and then the other. If you think I manage to crawl into the seat next to Everly gracefully, you're wrong.
The whole time I'm scrambling, Everly is laughing. I probably look like a drunk baby elephant considering I nearly fall on my face for the second time. Something–climbing through the seats to get to the back– I have done several times before suddenly kicks my ass. I’m from Chicago and those winters are cold as fuck. You bet your sweet ass if I need something from the back, I crawl my ass through the seats to get it.
By the time I'm sitting next to Everly, I'm out of breath and my hair is a mess.
And if that isn't bad enough, I look out the window to see Ang is staring back at me with his own smirk on his face.
Well, this day is officially going fantabulous.
Not!
Chapter Two
ANGELO
I rush through my meeting to get back to Everly. She should sleep for the next hour, but there's no telling what my spirited youngest daughter could do at any given moment. I never should've left her with Gracie, but I was desperate. I couldn't afford to cancel another meeting. Not if I want this project to finish on time. And I do. My business and reputation depend on it.
Willow Creek might be a small town with a lot of understanding people, but there's only so many excuses people are willing to accept before they begin to lose faith in a person. Between my mother being sick and an unreliable babysitter, I've used up my allotted defenses.
I pick up my steps when I see a delectable ass sticking up between the front seats of my SUV. I never envisioned myself owning anything other than a truck, but when my wife died in labor with Everly, I had no choice. Three girls under the age of eight meant car seats, boosters, and a shit ton of other things people fail to warn you about. And even though I could've madethem fit in my truck, the practicality of it had me pushing me ego off to the side. Now I'm glad for the forethought as I watch Gracie attempt to crawl into the middle row to soothe my screaming toddler.
If I were a better man, I would go help her. Maybe if the view wasn't so good, I would rush over to save her from the uncomfortable situation I put her in. But there's something about Gracie's peach ass in the air that stops me dead in my tracks.
Besides, Everly is no longer crying.
Nope, my little spitfire is too busy chuckling at the scene unfolding in front of her. And I take a bit of unintended pleasure in seeing her head thrown back in a fit of giggles as her little feet kick a mile a minute in front of her.
Who could blame her?
Unlike her name, there's nothing graceful about the way Gracie is attempting to get back to my daughter. Her long raven hair is a disaster. It's sticking up every which way, including covering her face. A face that I'm pretty sure smacks the seat in her effort to scale the space between her and Everly, but I can't be too sure from my current vantage point. It's a damn good thing for third-row seating and the fact that only two of the car seats are in that row. Otherwise her face would've landed into a Cheerio-filled car seat.
I continue to watch as Gracie attempts to correct her mistake and eventually fulfills her mission. The woman is huffing like she just ran a mile, and the prettiest scowl mars her face. I can't even be mad when she turns it on Everly, because my little girl isn't holding back her enjoyment of what just happened.
Then those crystal blue eyes find mine.
Busted!
Shoving one hand in my pocket, I finish my walk to the SUV and open the back door.
"How long have you been standing there?"
I don't bother to hide my smile.
